Album reviews: Mogwai and B.B. King

Wednesday

Jan 22, 2014 at 12:01 AMJan 22, 2014 at 5:48 PM

Rave Tapes, In London

Jon Dawson / Columnist

New album: Rave Tapes

Artist: Mogwai

Label: Sub Pop

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The mainly-instrumental outfit Mogwai have consistently issued albums that are cinematic in scope during their nearly 20 year career. “Rave Tapes,” in contrast, is the work of a band who has decided to micromanage their sound.

Mogwai have been busy as of late, releasing “Les Revenants” — a soundtrack to a French zombie movie — in 2013. Perhaps because the band's soundtrack work calls for them create mood music that doesn't detract from the visuals, the music on “Rave Tapes” is very specific and demands attention.

The cold electronic touches that have been a staple of Radiohead's post “O.K. Computer” work has also been part of the Mogwai pulse, but never more so than on “Rave Tapes.” While the Mogwai sound still leans more towards the warmer, earthier side of strangeness that held Pink Floyd in good stead from 1969-1972, the “Rave Tapes” material is the band's leans, most futuristic work to date.

A few treated vocals and spoken passages aside, “Rave Tapes” is bolstered by Mogwai's collective instrumental prowess. The thick, gooey keyboard work of Barry Burns on “Deesh” is a brilliant update of Pink Floyd's “Heartbeat, Pig Meat” from the “Zabriskie Point” soundtrack. A Mogwai album wouldn't be complete without imaginative guitar playing, and John Cummings and Stuart Braithwaite don't disappoint on the creepy “Remurdered” and the somber “Blues Hour” and “No Medicine For Regret.”

“Rave Tapes” probably won't be remembered as Mogwai's masterpiece, but it is a great piece of work that enhances their already impressive resume.

Classic album: In London

Artist: B.B. King

Label: MCA

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

When B.B. King's version of “The Thrill Is Gone” became a massive crossover hit in 1969, it brought King the fame he so rightly deserved. Since success is sweeter that failure, King spent the next few years building an audience outside of his small but loyal blues following.

Although blues would permeate everything he ever recorded, King and his management decided to pair him with a younger generation of rock musicians for a series of recordings. On 1970s “Indianola Mississippi Seeds” album King recorded a Leon Russell tune and collaborated with Carole King. On 1971's “In London,” King worked with a pile of England's most heralded blues-rock giant's to produce the underrated “In London.”

Now just to be clear, the best way to experience the full essence of B.B. King is to pick up any of the live or studio albums he's recorded with his tried and true road band. That being said, King's body of work benefits from the occasional curve ball. The decision to record with young, famous rock musicians may have been a commercial one, but it still garnered some interesting results.

One of the biggest treats on “In London” is hearing King interact with Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley. There's no mistaking Shirley for a blues drummer, but there is a swing in his muscular playing that makes the acoustic “Alexis' Boogie” one of the most intriguing tracks in King's career. Also guesting on the track is the song's namesake, British blues guru Alexis Korner.

On a re-recording of King's “Caldonia,” Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac (arguably the greatest British-blues guitarist of them all) joins King for some fiery but tasteful soloing. Gary Wright and Klaus Voorman contribute keyboards and bass to a sublime rendition of L.C. Glenn's “Blue Shadows,” locking in as if they'd been on the road with King for the past decade.

Many other luminaries including Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, Dr. John and Delaney & Bonnie/Rolling Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys contribute, but King's voice and guitar hold everything together. “In London” doesn't eclipse or even match the genius of King's “Live At The Regal” or “Live At Cook County Jail,” but it is a very good album that contains moments of splendor that couldn't have been achieved by sticking to a formula.

Jon Dawson's album reviews appear every Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or jon.dawson@kinston.com. Purchase Jon's new book "Counterfeit Sauerkraut" at The Free Press office and jondawson.com.